TXST SOCCER
Graduate defender Kennley Bradley headed in the lone goal of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinal match in Texas State’s 10 victory over top seed South Alabama on Wednesday night at the Foley Sports Complex. It is the second straight year that the Bobcats have reached the championship match.
The victory was only TXST’s second-ever over the Jaguars with the first coming in 2018. The Bobcats are also making back-to-back conference title matches appearances for the second time in history, as the first time came in 2008 and 2009 when the program was a member of the Southland Conference.
For the season, Texas State is now 9-3-7 on the season while the Jaguars see theirs end with a 104-4 record.
The Bobcats held a 128 advantage in shots and 7-3 in shots on goal. They also limited South Alabama to one corner kick while taking four. Victoria Meza led the way with four shots as two were on frame. Also with multiple shot attempts was Helen Alormenu with three.
In goal, Brooklyn Escobar made three saves to record her fifth shutout of the season. Two of her stops came in the final two-and-a-half minutes of the contest.
With both teams having played 110 minutes and gone to penalty kicks in the quarterfinals, it was a slower contest than in the regular season meeting. The first shot on goal didn’t come until early in the 33rd minute when a ball found its way into the box and Chloe Jones took a crack at the near post that was stopped.
Early in the 42nd minute, Bradley sent in a long ball into the box. It was headed backwards by a Jaguar defender that allowed Angela Gatto to have a crack at goal. The redshirt senior defender’s right-footed shot was denied by the diving goalkeeper.
Texas State continued to put pressure on the South Alabama backline in the second half. Nearly four minutes into the period, Victoria Meza flicked a header to the right post that saw Sierra Giorgio making a diving stop. Mady Soumare was there to gather the rebound but was unable to get a shot attempt off.
Early in the 60th minute, Jenny Ngankem sent in a corner kick from the far side of the pitch. The ball went past the frame and bounced off the head of a retreating defender right to Jones. She hit it for the first time back across the frame of the goal high in the air. Bradley took a couple of steps back and headed the ball down and just inside the left post to give TXST the lead for the first time over the Jaguars since Sept. 23, 2018.
For Bradley, it was her third goal of the season and second match-winner. Jones’ assist increased her career total to 15 and moved into a tie for third in team history.
The Bobcats didn’t sit back and park the bus and instead continued to press the attack. Kaylie Smith had the best look over the final 30 minutes that came midway through the 81st minute. Ngankem sent a free kick into the box that found the junior midfielder. She settled it, turned and took a left-footed crack that was saved by the keeper.
Mae Hunt took a long distance shot with just under two-and-a-half minutes left on the clock. Escobar leapt and caught the ball that was destined for the upper left corner.
The freshman goalkeeper would close out the match by smothering a low shot by Bonnie front with 13 seconds to play.
Next up for the Bobcats is a meeting with regular season champion ULM on Saturday in the championship match. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
